Daily Republican., 1887-04-23
A GOOD NATUREp SCAT "


him.
A GOOD NATURED 'CAT
1T WAS BIT frightened at 1rst, but
,fter few minutes l made up my
mind that 1t was SONS animal which
would not hurt me, and then we had q
romping tune. l would Gap my hands
and shout "5ick 'em" and the panther
yould go ekurry Ing here and there like
4 young pup, sometimes rolling over
aud over on the leaves, and again max
Ing such lesps ard bounds az excited
my admiration. When We came to o
evel piece Of ground / ran race with
aim, aud when he got iuto the patch
ahead Of me l seized the tip of his tail
and hung on and laughed until the
woods rang On two or three occasions,
AZ tho panther WAS gam boiling about
ne. he made a c,ean spring right over
my head.
''IC WAS only when we reached the
ge OF the village clearing that l sus-
pected the identity OF my visitor. The
.. ar presence of other human beings
seemed to anger him, and he enarled
and growled and tore the ground with
his claws. l patted him on the back
and snoothed his fur, and he began
purripg again and was restored to good
anture. He tfotted alongside OF me
about half wsy TO the barn have men.
toned, aud then slipped away into
some fallen timber. l had been quite
badly frightened for some minutes, and
no W seized this chance to make off. My
movements were hastebed by an omi-
nous gro wing from the timber, aud
walked off at fas. pace, and was
within few steps when heard fierce
scream and turned my head and saw
the great cat bounding toward me The
ioor of the barn WAS partly open, and
without an instant's reflection l sprang
inside and closed IL. Before l could
have counted twenty the panther was
at hand. Luckily for me 1t was q
strong, rough door, made OF slabs and
we'll put together. The beast made ter
riff, efforts to get In, and his sharp
claws made the splinters fly as he get
the IN into the wood. There was no In
side fastening, and had TO brace with
all my might TO prevent his inRress.
He was now worked up into fury, and
l believe every hair OF my head stood
on end as fought to keep him out.
THROUGH THE ROOF.
"When the panther found that he
could not get In by the door he spranR
upon the roof. l heard him as he
lalighted on the shocks, and, facing
about, saw there WAS a go uare hole In
the roof, left for o chimney never built.
There was nothing to prevent him leap.
ing down, and this Ia just what he In.
tended doing, | saw his shadow as he
ptered over the edge OF the openinR,
and l WAS all ready as his 1.-the body
aligbted on the floor. In two wipks
WAS out ,ide and had the door pulled tc,
and again he was foiled. He was mad
and no mistake, and, although 1 was
lyoun0 boy AID almost upset with fear,
had seuse enough left to be on the
watch for him. The caves OF the build
linz we're go short that, Standing by the
the door, which had q button outside
and an old strap nailed to the inside
to pull 1t shut, 1 could see the ridge
pole
"In two or three minutes 1 heard tht
clatter of claws as tie beast went uI
the logs, and the moment half his body
showed through the opening l changed
my position to the inside. He can't
down the roof, sputteripg and growing
and again made o fierce attack on thu
Idoor. was too much for him, and ht
|apain tried the roof and the chimney
Ihole. He came down and went ont
land he went up and I came In. HI
was at the door snavling IN o way Il
send shivers up and down my back
when l heard the report of rifle, AND
directly two men came running up. Tit
shot lad been fatal and the panther wa
dead. The men were going to the wood
Ito hunt, and, although close at hand
1.-The panther had not noticed them
There was at that time bounty of $50
II think, on a panther's scalp. and
while the men claimed this, they CAV
me the skin to reward my part in tn
adventure.